Everything You Need to Know About Latte Art

What You Need to Make Latte Art: The Equipment

To make the best foam, you’ll need the right tools and utensils:

The Jug:

First, you should use a stainless steel milk pitcher. The shape of the spout of your jug is also very important. It should be pointed, so that you can pour with more precision. Then the part of the jug under the spout should be as flat as possible (apart from the spout itself). If you look closely at your jug, you will see that the spout has a protruding tip. For greater accuracy, it should point downwards.

The Latte Art Pen:

Next, to add a little finesse to your creations and give them another dimension, you can use a Latte Art Pen. This will allow you the extra precision required to make your Latte Art even more intricate.

The Thermometer:

For greater control, you may also wish to use a thermometer. It will tell you when you’ve reached the right temperature to make your foam. However, if you don’t want to go to the trouble of buying a thermometer, here’s a little tried and tested barista technique: To know when your milk is ready, simply keep your hand on the jug! When you feel like you can barely hold the stainless steel any longer because of the heat, count to four seconds. Eh voila! Your foam is ready! In temperature terms, the milk should be heated to roughly 60-70ºC.

The Raw Material for Your Latte Art: The Milk

The Importance of the Milk

For a smooth, dense foam that rises nicely, you’ll need rich, protein-filled whole milk with a long shelf life (UHT). And if you want your foam to be even be more unctuous, try using milk that has come straight out of the fridge! What about the many of you who don’t drink cow’s milk? Don’t panic, you can also make your foam using plant-based milk! The result will never be quite as good as with whole dairy milk in terms of texture, but the following milks actually work quite nicely: · Rice milk: This milk is perfect for making the gentle transition from dairy to non-dairy milk. It is naturally sweeter than the other milks. · Soy milk: This one is rich in fat, which makes it perfect to use for foaming. However, your foam will be less malleable than it would be with whole dairy milk. · Almond milk: Rich in calcium and protein, this milk offers a result that is not too dissimilar to cow’s milk. Try mixing it with hazelnut milk for an even more indulgent foam. Please note: non-dairy milks naturally have a stronger flavour and will therefore have more of an impact on the final taste of your drink. As for the foam, it will generally be less dense than with cow’s milk. Personnally, I would avoid coconut milk for these reasons!

Choosing the Right Coffee for Your Latte Art

Latte Art may be all about the milk, but don’t forget that coffee still makes up half the recipe! And if you’re an ace at foaming milk, it’d be a real shame to serve your perfect foam with the wrong coffee. For a perfect balance of flavours, we’d advise you to choose a medium roast coffee. Trust us, your drink will be nothing short of delicious. However, if you’re looking for a greater visual contrast between the milk and the coffee, then go for a dark roast instead. As the coffee itself is darker, the white of the foam will stand out even more sharply. Once you’ve got your hands on the basic equipment, the right milk and your favourite coffee, the rest is up to you! Of course, the key to making great Latte Art is to get the foam right. For all our top tips on how to make milk foam, why not check out our article detailing our cappuccino recipe?

Now Be Creative!

Latte Art demands practice but with time, dedication and passion, you can do it! You will find everything you need on MaxiCoffee.com to be the perfect barista. Don’t hesitate to share your creations with us on social media and in the meantime see you soon on MaxiCoffee!